Orfordness Lighthouse.

Mr Gazza · 05-04-2019, 06:59 PM

I just received this email from The Orfordness Lighthouse Trust.
Looks like it might be the last year to visit the lighthouse in it's current state/position.
Any interest in any of the dates?

"Thank you for your patience in waiting for the us to announce this year's Visit Dates... we are confident the worst of the winter storms are now safely out the way and we are delighted to publish our visit dates, which are listed below.

How is the Lighthouse?

A question we Trustees of Orfordness Lighthouse are asked so frequently! The winter of 2018/2019 has thankfully not been quite as severe as last Winter, but it still had its moments. The beach in front of the lighthouse has retreated so much over the year that every high tide is in contact with the defences, and so has an effect. This effect is sometimes positive, bringing a bit more shingle up on the tide. But more often it is negative, taking shingle away and further undermining the Victorian water tanks and the bungalow cottage. The beach is now so narrow and steep in front of the lighthouse that we have not been able to add to the defences this year. There simply is not enough shingle to fill the rubble sacks, and no stable platform on which to place the "sausage rolls".

So it is the beginning of the end. This year while having the lighthouse open to visitors we will be planning its the dismantlement and the saving of the artifcacts. Sad yes, but through generous donations and hard work by volunteers we have kept her open to 100s of visitors when it was predicted it would be in a ruinous state by 2015/16 when decommissioned in 2013.

Orfordness Lighthouse Trust remains committed to keeping the Lighthouse standing where it is for as long as possible, and remaining alive to the constant threat of the sea. It remains our intention to dismantle the Lighthouse and rebuild a replica elsewhere on the Ness. If you want to hear more about this plan, we'd recommend coming on one of our Open Days and we'll be glad to tell you more about it.

How Do We Book to Visit?

To book your places on any of the visits please email us at orfordnesslighthouse@gmail.com with the number in your party and your preferred date. If you could include your name in the subject line, that would be very helpful, thank you. You can find a link to our email address at the bottom of this message.

Full details on how the visits run are listed on the Visits Page of our website here. We will also send a house keeping email the day before the visit with last minute house keeping (which will mainly be about the weather!)

2019 VISIT DATES:

14th April
5th May
2nd June
21st July
25th August
22nd September

*There may be a further visit in October, TBC subject to demand and volunteer availability*"

Ron1000 · 05-04-2019, 07:02 PM

Do you have an interest in lighthouses? By chance I work for the northern lighthouse board.

Mr Gazza · 05-04-2019, 07:08 PM

I don't really have a general interest in Lighthouses, but we visited Orfordness last year and I found the tour of the lighthouse very interesting. Apart from anything the location is very surreal and the plight of the lighthouse is somehow endearing.
Looks like they are about to start taking it down anyway before the Sea does... You have to admire their dedication.

I thought Trinity House looked after the lighthouses? Perhaps not in the North?

Ron1000 · 05-04-2019, 08:52 PM

Yeah they’re pretty cool in the inside.

All part of the tri-gla. Trinity house, northern lighthouse board and Irish lights.

Grumpy · 05-04-2019, 10:28 PM

Sounds like an interesting day out.
Why not go for the 5th of May, combining the visit with out monthly breakfast.
We could meet up, have breakfast then ride to Orford.
Depending on the times for visiting the lighthouse as to where we meet for breakie.

Mr Gazza · 06-04-2019, 09:30 AM

Ah. Thanks Ron, I can see a bigger picture now... Interesting job you have.

Good call Grumpy.
I have written to the Trust to reserve 8 places on the boat for 5th May. # Date changed to Sept 22nd. See post #16
We ate lunch in the pub opposite the car park last time as the boat sailed at 1pm I think, but breakfast elsewhere might be an option.
There is the issue of stashing bike kit to walk across the Ness a bit lighter. Last year Mrs Kingfisher kindly let us use her car as a cupboard, so someone coming in a car would be extremely handy again.

Please put your name on the list if you would like a place, so I can ask the Trust for more places if we get oversubscribed or surrender unwanted ones.

Grumpy
Mr Gazza
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Mr Gazza · 06-04-2019, 09:43 AM

BTW.. That's the Saturday of the bank holiday weekend.

Grumpy
Mr Gazza
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Mr Gazza · 06-04-2019, 12:22 PM

I've heard straight back from the lovely Lydia of the Trust.
We have 8 places reserved.
Tickets for the boat can only be bought on the day from a van on the quay 1pm onwards @£3.50 return.
The boat sails at 1.30pm and returns at 5pm.

All the info here. http://www.orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk/visit/

Grumpy
Mr Gazza
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Grumpy · 08-04-2019, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

I've heard straight back from the lovely Lydia of the Trust.
We have 8 places reserved.
Tickets for the boat can only be bought on the day from a van on the quay 1pm onwards @£3.50 return.
The boat sails at 1.30pm and returns at 5pm.

All the info here. http://www.orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk/visit/

.
.

Grumpy + Mrs Grumpy
Mr Gazza.
Richard D

Mr Gazza · 09-04-2019, 04:38 PM

Might have to review the date of this event due to cataclysmic news from the Weekender team! Watch this space and also see the Weekender thread.

Grumpy · 09-04-2019, 07:47 PM

Moving the visit to the lighthouse sounds a good idea.
I'm off to the TT so the 2nd of June is out for me, otherwise any date suits.

Mr Gazza · 09-04-2019, 08:49 PM

Let's come back to this when the dust settles, I've cancelled with the Trust for now.
July sounds manic for anywhere coastal, I'm thinking September?

10-04-2019, 08:06 PM

Id be up for it again

got a better camera now so would be good. Do you know if dogs are allowed? I'm pretty sure people took dogs last time, if so I may be able to provide a car to put clothes in again.

Grumpy · 10-04-2019, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Let's come back to this when the dust settles, I've cancelled with the Trust for now.
July sounds manic for anywhere coastal, I'm thinking September?

September works for me.

Mr Gazza · 10-04-2019, 10:03 PM

I'm pretty sure there were dogs last time too. When I booked for May I asked Lydia if dogs were permitted, as StevieL would have gone last year if could have taken his dog.
Lydia confirmed the National Trust's firm no dogs policy on an SSSI site.
So that's the official stance, but I think on the day it's a different matter. (The NT is not there on a Sunday) It's up to you if you want to chance it..

Lydia was keen for me to book up for September as apparently it's a popular one. So I think I will go ahead and get 8 places for Sept 22nd and we'll start from scratch again.

05-04-2019, 07:08 PM	#3
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	I don't really have a general interest in Lighthouses, but we visited Orfordness last year and I found the tour of the lighthouse very interesting. Apart from anything the location is very surreal and the plight of the lighthouse is somehow endearing. Looks like they are about to start taking it down anyway before the Sea does... You have to admire their dedication. I thought Trinity House looked after the lighthouses? Perhaps not in the North? __________________

05-04-2019, 10:28 PM	#5
Grumpy record breaker!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peterborough Bike: M1200R Posts: 2,154	Sounds like an interesting day out. Why not go for the 5th of May, combining the visit with out monthly breakfast. We could meet up, have breakfast then ride to Orford. Depending on the times for visiting the lighthouse as to where we meet for breakie. __________________ It's not the destination, but the journey that matters Definition of a motorbike, a devise for overtaking cars!

06-04-2019, 09:30 AM	#6
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	Ah. Thanks Ron, I can see a bigger picture now... Interesting job you have. Good call Grumpy. I have written to the Trust to reserve 8 places on the boat for 5th May. # Date changed to Sept 22nd. See post #16 We ate lunch in the pub opposite the car park last time as the boat sailed at 1pm I think, but breakfast elsewhere might be an option. There is the issue of stashing bike kit to walk across the Ness a bit lighter. Last year Mrs Kingfisher kindly let us use her car as a cupboard, so someone coming in a car would be extremely handy again. Please put your name on the list if you would like a place, so I can ask the Trust for more places if we get oversubscribed or surrender unwanted ones. Grumpy Mr Gazza . . . . . . __________________ Last edited by Mr Gazza; 08-05-2019 at 08:47 PM..

06-04-2019, 09:43 AM	#7
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	BTW.. That's the Saturday of the bank holiday weekend. Grumpy Mr Gazza . . . . . . __________________

06-04-2019, 12:22 PM	#8
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	I've heard straight back from the lovely Lydia of the Trust. We have 8 places reserved. Tickets for the boat can only be bought on the day from a van on the quay 1pm onwards @£3.50 return. The boat sails at 1.30pm and returns at 5pm. All the info here. http://www.orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk/visit/ Grumpy Mr Gazza . . . . . . __________________ Last edited by Grumpy; 08-04-2019 at 08:30 PM..

05-04-2019, 06:59 PM	#1
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	Orfordness Lighthouse. I just received this email from The Orfordness Lighthouse Trust. Looks like it might be the last year to visit the lighthouse in it's current state/position. Any interest in any of the dates? "Thank you for your patience in waiting for the us to announce this year's Visit Dates... we are confident the worst of the winter storms are now safely out the way and we are delighted to publish our visit dates, which are listed below. How is the Lighthouse? A question we Trustees of Orfordness Lighthouse are asked so frequently! The winter of 2018/2019 has thankfully not been quite as severe as last Winter, but it still had its moments. The beach in front of the lighthouse has retreated so much over the year that every high tide is in contact with the defences, and so has an effect. This effect is sometimes positive, bringing a bit more shingle up on the tide. But more often it is negative, taking shingle away and further undermining the Victorian water tanks and the bungalow cottage. The beach is now so narrow and steep in front of the lighthouse that we have not been able to add to the defences this year. There simply is not enough shingle to fill the rubble sacks, and no stable platform on which to place the "sausage rolls". So it is the beginning of the end. This year while having the lighthouse open to visitors we will be planning its the dismantlement and the saving of the artifcacts. Sad yes, but through generous donations and hard work by volunteers we have kept her open to 100s of visitors when it was predicted it would be in a ruinous state by 2015/16 when decommissioned in 2013. Orfordness Lighthouse Trust remains committed to keeping the Lighthouse standing where it is for as long as possible, and remaining alive to the constant threat of the sea. It remains our intention to dismantle the Lighthouse and rebuild a replica elsewhere on the Ness. If you want to hear more about this plan, we'd recommend coming on one of our Open Days and we'll be glad to tell you more about it. How Do We Book to Visit? To book your places on any of the visits please email us at orfordnesslighthouse@gmail.com with the number in your party and your preferred date. If you could include your name in the subject line, that would be very helpful, thank you. You can find a link to our email address at the bottom of this message. Full details on how the visits run are listed on the Visits Page of our website here. We will also send a house keeping email the day before the visit with last minute house keeping (which will mainly be about the weather!) 2019 VISIT DATES: 14th April 5th May 2nd June 21st July 25th August 22nd September There may be a further visit in October, TBC subject to demand and volunteer availability" __________________

05-04-2019, 07:02 PM	#2
Ron1000 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Livingston Bike: M1100evo Posts: 863	Do you have an interest in lighthouses? By chance I work for the northern lighthouse board.

05-04-2019, 08:52 PM	#4
Ron1000 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Livingston Bike: M1100evo Posts: 863	Yeah they’re pretty cool in the inside. All part of the tri-gla. Trinity house, northern lighthouse board and Irish lights.

09-04-2019, 04:38 PM	#10
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	Might have to review the date of this event due to cataclysmic news from the Weekender team! Watch this space and also see the Weekender thread. __________________

09-04-2019, 07:47 PM	#11
Grumpy record breaker!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peterborough Bike: M1200R Posts: 2,154	Moving the visit to the lighthouse sounds a good idea. I'm off to the TT so the 2nd of June is out for me, otherwise any date suits. __________________ It's not the destination, but the journey that matters Definition of a motorbike, a devise for overtaking cars!

09-04-2019, 08:49 PM	#12
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	Let's come back to this when the dust settles, I've cancelled with the Trust for now. July sounds manic for anywhere coastal, I'm thinking September? __________________

10-04-2019, 08:06 PM	#13
Kingfisher88 Guest Posts: n/a	Id be up for it again got a better camera now so would be good. Do you know if dogs are allowed? I'm pretty sure people took dogs last time, if so I may be able to provide a car to put clothes in again.

10-04-2019, 10:03 PM	#15
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,805	I'm pretty sure there were dogs last time too. When I booked for May I asked Lydia if dogs were permitted, as StevieL would have gone last year if could have taken his dog. Lydia confirmed the National Trust's firm no dogs policy on an SSSI site. So that's the official stance, but I think on the day it's a different matter. (The NT is not there on a Sunday) It's up to you if you want to chance it.. Lydia was keen for me to book up for September as apparently it's a popular one. So I think I will go ahead and get 8 places for Sept 22nd and we'll start from scratch again. __________________